Sunday School

Reg,

Yes, we can say that is most likely to be factually true. Would never happen in a church in the USA where the faithful can happily carry guns into church to defend themselves.

That would vary with the particular church, and no one can say what would never happen any more than The Precautionary Principle can rightly say everything that could…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Yes, we can say that is most likely to be factually true. Would never happen in a church in the USA where the faithful can happily carry guns into church to defend themselves.

You are going to run out of sarcasm if you spend it that freely.

One thing we can say for sure: Exactly zero U.S. gun owners were involved in this shooting, which took place in a nation with the strictest guns laws in Europe.

Yes, we can say that is most likely to be factually true. Would never happen in a church in the USA where the faithful can happily carry guns into church to defend themselves.

Reg,

Here’s the latest on the shooting in Germany:

Police say Hamburg shooter who massacred churchgoers was ‘enraged’ ex-Jehovah’s Witness
“Phillip F”, a former member of the religious community is thought to be responsible for the deadly attack.
By LUKE WHELAN
10:48, Fri, Mar 10, 2023 | UPDATED: 12:55, Fri, Mar 10,…[Read more]

Yet another shooting in a Church, this time in Germany. I wonder if the murderer was inspired by blind faith in an imaginary god?

Go Reg go. You can be the general or serve in the infantry.

Yes, all religions are corrupt and immoral. Granted there are people who are religious and are ‘good people’ but they would be just so without their faith. They are the minority. Religions are about surrendering your ‘self’ to an authority that is entirely man-made. It is this very fact, that they are all man-made, that leads them to corrupt…[Read more]

It’s just a tentative hypothesis.  I’m not that well-informed.  People in the Middle East often seem to have different priorities from those in the West (patriarchy etc.), with what we see as normal, being forgotten.

Simon, I see marionettes. People are not evil. They’re mindless and amenable to the most ineffable manipulation.

That is why there is a glimmer if only a Potempkin shimmer to ameliorate lives of people everywhere and reduce existential risk.

jakelafort wrote:

Islam is a DRIVER of immorality.

To people in a guilt culture (for example, us), people in a shame culture look immoral, as if all they care about is how they appear to others.

The main shame cultures are those of the Far East and Middle East, while the guilt cultures are those of Europe, especially north-west…

[Read more]

Davis, I agree. Was not trying to diminish or contradict anything you asserted. In fact Islam is to my knowledge a combination of Judaism and Christianity and very similar to Christianity as a political institution that fractured and produced various sects & sought to conquer, absorb and proselytize. It is just that at this point Islam is more…[Read more]

There are roughly 2 billions Muslims. Islam is a DRIVER of immorality.

All religions are. There is nothing unique about Islam in the driving of immorality. Christian nations have oppression of women, assault against LGTBQ+ people (including murder), extreme financial corruption and abuse of power. It happens in Uganda, South Nigeria and Nicaragua…[Read more]

There are roughly 2 billions Muslims. Islam is a DRIVER of immorality. It is a political institution and it seeks to increase its membership and influence. Yeah it is all make-believe. But at this point it is as far as i can ascertain the number 1 enemy to humanist ideals.

It is obviously important that we don’t get the Ben Affleck’s in a dither…[Read more]

jakelafort wrote:

From Autumn, ” At the end of the day, religion is a tool that serves human interest.” Whose or what interest?

Whomever can make the best sales pitch. N.B. I said human interest, not benefit of humanity.

From Autumn,

” At the end of the day, religion is a tool that serves human interest.”

Whose or what interest? If you are simply saying that proof of usefulness is longevity then you can say that about harmful and parasitic bacteria or other pathogens.

Serves dictators? Politicians? Pedophiles? Rapists? Sexists? Anti-fill in the blank.

I will…[Read more]

 I restate once again: fixating on Islam as somehow unique in religion = bad government is missing the point and verging into Islamophobic territory.

We also have to take into account that much of the democracy we put up on a pedestal today is a relatively recent development. And even then, many of the democracies that fall under our preferred…[Read more]

Pretty much what Enco said. If we look at Bhuddist countries and their democratic health we can see bad to borderline failing states: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand. And with Hinduism we see the unhealthy Nepal and the growingly unhealthy India. Note that in Sri Lanka it is more a case of religion sewing division than say Myanmar…[Read more]

Reg and Fellow Unbelievers,

Just when you think that Christianity and Islam are the only religions that seek to take everyone under their hegemony, I see that there is yet another.

In the latest pile of religious tracts and cards that litter the store where I work, I find this card that says:

“NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO

Nicheren Buddhism for Daily…[Read more]

Reg and Fellow Unbelievers,

Oh, look what I’ve found. A Gish Gallop on The Gish Gallop which denies that Duane Gish was the original one Du-ane The Gish Gallop. 😁

The Gish Gallop Technique–what you should know

The Gish Gallop Technique–what you should know

According to this article, The Gish Gallop s…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Religious people are challenging SCOTUS to allow them to legally discriminate against other citizens.

One of the major difficulties with protections for religious belief and political belief is that it ultimately falls on the courts to decide what qualifies. There are legal tests to determine what does and does not…[Read more]